Patricia J. Watkins, nee O’Mara, of Caseyville, IL., born March 30, 1933, in East. St. Louis, IL., died Tuesday, June 27, 2017.
Pat worked 41 years as an Administration Assistant for the American Jewish Committee in Clayton, MO.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Donald and H.C. (Pat) O’Mara; son in law, John G. Weir; very special friend and companion Russ Talbott.
She is survived by her children, Christopher L. Watkins of Caseyville, IL, Cheryl L. Weir of Belleville, IL.; brother, Donald J. (Jean) O’Mara of Crestwood, MO.; grandchildren, Timothy (Monika) Watkins of San Mateo, CA., Patrick Watkins of Olympia, WA., Donald Watkins of St. Charles, MO., Amelia Grace Watkins of Bartlett, TN.; great-grandchildren, Trinity Watkins, Evan Connor Watkins both of St. Charles, MO., and her nieces and nephews.
She was an active member of St. Stephen Catholic Church, Caseyville, IL., where she was past president of St. Anne Alter Sodality, served on the School Board for St. Stephen School as well as serving as Past President of the East St. Louis Deanery of Catholic Women and the Metro East Vicariate Belleville Diocese. She attended Holy Angeles Grade School and graduated from St. Teresa Academy in 1950. Pat received her Associates Degree from Belleville Area College.
Because she felt the community had been good to her family, she believed in giving back. Mrs. Watkins was active in both the community and political arena. She was founder of the Caseyville Junior Woman’s Club, Junior District Director for the Illinois Federation of Women’s Clubs, member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and a charter member of the Caseyville Chamber of Commerce.
She was the first woman elected to the Caseyville Village Board of Trustees in 1975, and served 10 years before becoming the first woman elected as Mayor of Caseyville from 1989 – 1993. During her tenure as Mayor, her most gratifying and major project was the development and building of the Caseyville City Park. In 1985, she was appointed by Illinois Governor James Thompson as the first women from Illinois to serve as a Commissioner of the BI-State Development Agency (now Metro) and was Chairman of the Board in 1989 when the MetroLink system was built.
Mrs. Watkins served on the Caseyville Library District Board as Secretary/Treasurer and was Caseyville correspondent for the Collinsville Herald/Suburban Journal from 1968 to 2006. She also served as Chairman of the Board for the Southwestern Illinois Resource Conservation and Development Agency (RC&D) now known as Heartlands Conservancy, Vice President of the State of Illinois Association of RC&D’s, an Associate Director for the St. Clair County Soil and Water District, served on the Henry White Experimental Farm Committee operated by the Illinois Department of Agriculture in Belleville. For many years she was a tutor for the literacy program Project Read through Belleville Area College (now Southwestern Illinois College) and also tutored reading at Seaton Catholic School. She was active with meals on Wheels program, Faith In Action organization, Caseyville Food Pantry and was an on-air radio reader and producer for MindsEye, a radio station for the visually impaired or print disabled located at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows and served as a member of MindsEye Advisory Board.
She received many honors, several of which were “Woman of the year in the Leadership Division” presented by the Young Women’s Christian Association, “Woman of Achievement” by the Kimmel Committee of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, “Woman Leader” presented by the DeMolay Chapter, Collinsville and “Phenomenal Women of Metropolitan St. Louis” awarded by the Racial Harmony Belleville.
Her love of travel took her to Ireland several times where her Irish ancestors were born as well as visiting Canada, China, Spain, London England, Russia and France.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to MindsEye of Belleville, Caseyville Public Library, The Land Conservancy of Heartlands Conservancy in Mascoutah, or St. Anne Altar Society of St. Stephen Catholic Church in Caseyville. Condolences to the family can be expressed online at www.herrfuneral.com
Visitation: Friends and family may visit 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sunday, July 2, 2017, at Herr Funeral Home, Collinsville, IL., and 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Monday, July 3, 2017, at St. Stephen Catholic Church, Caseyville, IL.
Funeral: Mass of Christian burial will be held 10:00 a.m. Monday, July 3, 2017, at St. Stephen Catholic Church, Caseyville, IL., with Rev. Ray Schultz officiating. Burial to follow at Mt. Carmel Cemetery. Belleville, IL.

Herr Funeral Home